SUMMER'S END

One of the things I love about living in this part of the country, is the cycle of the four seasons. Each season boasts its own unique character and beauty, and nowhere is seen more vividly than in the flowers and plants around us.

Saying "Goodbye" to the hostas outside my office window.

The season has changed, and it's time to bid farewell to the blooms of summer, as we prepare  to welcome the beautiful fall foliage.


***Do you enjoy the seasonal foliage as much as I do?

SETTING A COURSE FOR FALL

As I travel through these final days of September, it’s clear that we are definitely well into fall. With the change of months comes a change of temperature, which means that I will be breaking out my fall wardrobe more frequently now

One thing I like to do as I transition my wardrobe from one season to another, is to retain some element of the previous season. While that may seem difficult to do as our weather becomes increasingly colder, I think I’ve found a great way to meet that challenge.

These socks are better suited . . .

. . . For the summer holidays.

I have a love for all things nautical, and soon, I will once again be wearing socks more regularly, so nautical themed socks seem to be the perfect carry-over from summer. A quick trip to J. Crew provided three great pairs of nautical socks. Although one pair can pretty much only be worn in summer, the other two will definitely transition into fall.

The first pair boasts navy and red anchors on a cream colored background, which are better suited for the summer holidays rather than fall excursions.  In fact they, along with my Kate Spade phone case and Brooks Brothers picnic tie, were part of my Labor Day wardrobe (yes I had to work for a few hours on Labor Day).

The final two pairs of J. Crew socks consist of white anchors on a navy background (that also matches my J. Crew phone case), and navy sailboats on a gray background. These two pairs of socks will be perfect as I head into fall.

Finally, as an extra bonus, I stopped by our local Sperry store and picked up another pair of anchor socks. This one displays navy anchors on a gray background, and with this final purchase, I have completed my nautical footwear collection – at least for now.

Sailboats are always fun.

These socks from Sperry completed my nautical footwear collection for this year.

When it comes to transitioning my wardrobe to the fall season, there is nothing like a few wonderful pairs of nautical socks to help me retain a bit of summer fun. What better way to set a course for fall?

***What are some of your tricks to transition your wardrobe        

     from season to season?

FASHION WEEK MN: HOMME

As Fashion Week MN comes to a close, I’m pleased to say what a great success it has been. I attended Homme, the men’s fashion show held at Muse Event Center, and it was spectacular, highlighting local designers and businesses. Producers Sarah Edwards and Connie Mrotek can be very proud of a job well done.

Waiting for the show to begin.

I mentioned last week that I had a attended the Pre-Fashion Week Party for Homme at Food Building in Northeast Minneapolis, but that was just a hint of the incredible evening that awaited us last Wednesday.  

The wonderful Tom Horgen was our emcee for the evening.

When we arrived at Muse in the fashionable North Loop area of Minneapolis, the air was abuzz with energy and excitement. I hadn’t been to Muse before, but it turned out to be the perfect venue for the event. Everything form staging, to lighting, to video production, and even the cocktails were on point. From the moment I entered the space I knew we were in for something pretty amazing.

Five Watt Coffee was on hand to share . . .

 . . . Their cold press coffee, Big Watt. It was Delicious!

As an added treat, there was pop-up event with local vendors on the second floor. I’ve made no secret about how much I love supporting local small businesses, so I was pleased to see several of them represented that evening, both in the show and in the pop-up event.

Sarah Edwards and Connie Mrotek share a few words at the end of the show.

Minneapolis has a wealth of fashion talent and style, and yet, it was just a year ago when it seemed that fashion week might be coming to an end permanently, but thanks to the brilliant work of Sarah Edwards and Connie Mrotek, that proved not to be the case. If this year’s event is any indication, I can safely say that Fashion Week MN is in good hands, and is stronger and bolder than ever. Well done Ladies!

***Did you attend any of the Fashion Week MN events?

CELEBRATING THREE YEARS

This week Boat Shoes And Button Downs celebrated its third anniversary.  

Thank you to everyone for helping to make this possible through your support over the years. I really appreciate it!

(Caramel apple cupcake from Lunds & Byerlys)

AN AQUA FALL

As we make the slow transition from Summer to fall, through these warm and rainy days, I am finding myself longing to hang on to as many bright colors as I can. Don't get me wrong, I love the warm rich hues of fall, but appreciate them more in October and November. With that in mind, the Fresh Cut Gingham Bow Tie from Mill City Fineries, is the perfect tie to help me ease into the new season.

This bow tie features a lovely, muted, aqua blue gingham, on a cream colored background. The cream is the perfect transition shade to fall, while the aqua, being more muted rather than bright, helps us carry a bit of the summer fun with us through that transition,  In fact, it reminds me of waves slowly beating against a warm summer beach, which helps me retain some of this season as I move into the next.

While the Fresh Cut Gingham Bow Tie from Mill City Fineries, is the perfect tie to bridge the transition from summer to fall, I have to admit that I will most likely find ways to sneak it in during the winter months as well. This great bow tie will sell out, so be sure to get your's now while it's available.


***What colors help you to transition seasons?

HOLDING ONTO SUMMER

Even though it was technically the first day of fall, last night I was holding on to summer a bit longer as I was out and about for Fashion Week MN.

What I wore last night:                  

               Light Red Shirt:  Polo Ralph Lauren

               Yellow Cotton/Cashmere Sweater:  L.L. Bean              

               Bow Tie:  The Bow Tie Shoppe
               Navy Pants:  Tommy Hilfiger
               Shoes:  Nordstrom 1901's
               Socks:  G.H. Bass

               Watch:  Timex

               Watch Strap:  Timex

               Phone Case:  J. Crew

***Are you still holding on to summer as well?

THE LIGHT RED SHIRT

I had been searching for a light red shirt (not to be confused with pink) for a couple of months before finally finding it at the Polo Ralph Lauren outlet store. The store is located not far from me at Twin Cities Premium Outlets, in Eagan, MN. This mall has fast become one of my favorite places to shop.

While many people will say that this shirt is, in fact, pink, for me there is a subtle enough difference. When I think of a pink shirt I tend to think of light pastels, or bright, vibrant shades. This shirt has a more muted and subdued color, with definite red undertones, and is pretty much exactly what I was looking for.

I was fortunate to find this shirt on an end of season sale, but it’s versatile enough that I will be able to make it work no matter what time of year. I really love it when I’m able to find the exact item I’ve been searching for, and love it even more when I can find it on sale.

***What clothing colors are you searching for?

FASHION WEEK MN BEGINS

When most people think of Fashion Week, thoughts of New York City, or the great fashion centers of Europe come to mind, but here in Minnesota we don’t have to travel nearly that far to experience fashion at it’s finest.

The cheese from Lone Grazer Creamery was amazing!

Fashion Week MN begins this week in Minneapolis, and has an amazing line up of events. The Twin Cities are blessed with an incredible fashion scene that showcases a growing amount of local talent. The organization behind these shows has change over the years. Originally, they were sponsored by MN Fashion, who announced in January of 2014 that they would no longer produce the fashion week extravaganza. Although they did bounce back for a bit, they finally officially called it quits in September of 2014. Now with new producers at the wheel, and a new name, Fashion Week MN, Minneapolis is once again showcasing the best of its talent, and this promises to be a week not to be missed.

Last week my friend Nicholas and I attended a kick-off party for this week's events. The party was held at Food Building in Northeast Minneapolis, which was a wonderful learning experience in and of itself. I hadn’t heard of Food Building and so I was anxious to learn about it.  One of the tenants in the building is The Lone Grazer Creamery a cheese maker, who makes gourmet cheeses from milk that comes from local grass fed cows. The cheese is amazing, and extremely flavorful.

Other tenants include Red Table Meat Co. who butcher and cure their meats onsite.  Red Table sources its pork from local farms, and is careful to track the pigs from farrow and feed to humane slaughter. Be sure to check out both The Lone Grazer Creamery and Red Table Meat Co websites for more information on their delicious products.

Swag from the evening.

The pre-fashion week party at Food Building was an amazing and fun evening, and I’m looking forward to the festivities of the week ahead. If you haven't gotten them already, there’s still time to get your tickets for Fashion Week MN and join in the fun. See you there!

*** Which are your favorite Fashion Week shows?